Snook Die Off Gulf Coast

I have heard of significant Snook losses from the freeze from Wacasassa, Yankeetown, and Ozello. Has anyone heard of other areas where there has been a large kill? How far south did the freeze impact the snook population?

Seems fine down here...I Was out yesterday and today south Pine Island Sound and mouth of the Caloosahatchee River, average water temp was 59 and 61 degrees respectively and only saw one dead bonnethead on a flat and a large dead sail cat in a deep canal. I did see a ton of big Snook in groups... but couldn't get a single one to eat the DOA and Gulp shrimp I offered up. I may have had a better chance if I would've had a few nice medium to large live shrimp. All in all a good day on the water and had to stop to catch a couple trout to bend the rod.... Just happy to see our Snook down here still kicking!

"Sickening is the word for all the dead Snook and other fish after this cold snap. The water at the mouth of the Withlacoochee dropped to 42 degrees. That is dangerous to fatal for several species when the drop is sudden.

There were some large Trout, at least one Jewfish, Trippletail, a 7-8# Permit that was barely kicking,a big bunch of Horse Ballyhoo, and many hundreds of big Snook. This was in one small area and the scene changed with the tides.

I saw one Snook that might have been a World Record in May. I've caught a bunch of big Snook up to 48" and measured one that was 50.5" about 4 years ago. Hopefully enough Snook in the Barge Canal, power plant discharge, carious springs and in Crystal River survived and will have successful spawns this summer."

"Sickening is the word for all the dead Snook and other fish after this cold snap. The water at the mouth of the Withlacoochee dropped to 42 degrees. That is dangerous to fatal for several species when the drop is sudden.

There were some large Trout, at least one Jewfish, Trippletail, a 7-8# Permit that was barely kicking,a big bunch of Horse Ballyhoo, and many hundreds of big Snook. This was in one small area and the scene changed with the tides.

I saw one Snook that might have been a World Record in May. I've caught a bunch of big Snook up to 48" and measured one that was 50.5" about 4 years ago. Hopefully enough Snook in the Barge Canal, power plant discharge, carious springs and in Crystal River survived and will have successful spawns this summer."

It's commonly held that their range isn't usually past Tarpon Springs. When they get that far up north it's going to happen.

I wonder how the dead fish affect the ecosystem? Could be they are beneficial fertilizer like the dead salmon in rivers? Or just added nutrients the system can't handle. I like to think there is a benefit in the long run.

I wonder how the dead fish affect the ecosystem? Could be they are beneficial fertilizer like the dead salmon in rivers? Or just added nutrients the system can't handle. I like to think there is a benefit in the long run.

Think about it, Its a natural cycle...How could that be bad for the ecosystem? I'm sure many other sea creatures benefit in many ways from the die off.

I fished Suwannee in the days after the worst of the snap. It made the redfish and trout hungry. Saw no dead snook but did see some dying mangrove snapper and a couple of dead catfish. I honestly don't think that much north of Waccasassa there is any sort of quality stock of them anyway. Even if they were hiding in the river mouth at Suwannee the incoming water from the gulf dropped the river down into the 48 degree range, too cold for snook.

I wonder how the dead fish affect the ecosystem? Could be they are beneficial fertilizer like the dead salmon in rivers? Or just added nutrients the system can't handle. I like to think there is a benefit in the long run.

NOTHING goes to waste. In the water the dead are consumed by crabs, minnows, and small fish, just like they do around a fish cleaning station. Birds help on the cleanup along the banks.